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Emperor and Empress visit Minami-Sanriku after earthquake

Apr 29, 2011

The Emperor and Empress of Japan visited Minami-Sanriku as well as the neighborhood of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, according to a recent report from ThirdAge.com.

"I'm thankful he has come so far. It makes me so happy. ...I saw [the earthquake] happen right before my eyes. It hurts just to think about it," said Mitsuko Oikawa, a 73-year-old survivor of the quake.

Emperor Akihito is 77-years-old and the Empress Michiko is 76-years-old. They visited a school in Minami-Sanriku.

The March 11 earthquake was the largest in recent history for Japan. It measured at a magnitude of 9.0 and caused tsunamis that swept over the northeastern region of the country. Nuclear reactors were damaged, leading to mass evacuations for those living near the nuclear plants.

Many of those living in shelters are facing communicable diseases such as the flu. Medical clinics are one of the services provided by humanitarian aid organization. Humanitarian effects are ongoing more than a month after the quake.

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